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How Overcoming Mental Barriers can be the Key to your Success

Fingerprints vary in size, shape, and form in every person — even identical twins don’t share a common fingerprint. I was thinking about this throughout my week in how we always learned that not one person is alike by their fingerprints. It intrigued me however, that it was limited to just fingerprints. Although fingerprints are a good indicator if differences, every individual is comprised of many different factors. Whether it be physically, intellectually, neurologically, or anything else we are all unique and different in our own way. This does not mean that we cannot share common threads with others, but it does mean that you need to look at yourself as an individual and not just a number within a crowd.

I bring this up because I’ve been working out regularly for the entirety of my summer. I read a quote by Socrates that has stuck with me and has pushed me into creating what I want physically from my body. It read, “It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” My body is capable of far greater things than I can imagine it to possess, it just takes the proper training and dedication to get to that point.

I’m a huge fan of experimenting with my body and testing its limits both mentally and physically, but when it comes to the physical aspects of my body I am often dissatisfied with the lack of progress I show. I see superheroes chiseled from their jawline to their ankle and every move they make another muscle ripples within their body. I see friends with six packs and bulging arms worthy of being placed on greek god statues. It’s an uncomfortable position to be in… You want to emulate the looks of these men and women, but are stuck looking in a mirror with a reflection of a pale complexity with abs barely peaking through your skin.

This is where a lot of individuals just give up and kind of pout to themselves that they’d never attain a body like that or a specific ab count like the models. This is where the idea of 2<102 comes into play. Think of it like this, these individuals have committed to this lifestyle and eat, sleep, and breathe fitness. They have spent hours upon hours perfecting their craft and day after day tirelessly working in the gym. We want results and expect results within the first 2 days of eating well and exercising regularly, but forget the notion that those we aspire to be like have been doing it for 102 days.

It comes down to patience and perseverance. Are you willing to go 100 straight days of doing something you may not love? Are you willing to put forth the effort in the long term to get to where you want? This does not just apply to physical fitness, but also career and long-term goals. It’s so easy to say that someone was an overnight success or that genetically they’re more gifted than you are. But you have to know and understand that it’s an excuse you’re creating to give yourself leeway and take the blame off of yourself. It is a mental barrier that you forcibly put up to convince yourself you cannot.

We are a beautiful creation that can be worked on every day. I encourage you to hone your craft daily and perfect who you are. Define who you want to be and become it.

Wishing you all an amazing day and an even better weekend.

And as always,

“There is no such things as strangers, just friends we’ve yet to meet.”